From their hometown of Melbourne in 2019, former financier turned property developer, Philip Pezzi and his interior designer wife, Alissa Birch saw a gap in southeast Queensland’s prestige property market and couldn’t resist the opportunity to head north.
Five years later, their company, Capital Luxury Residences (CLR), has just completed its twenty-third luxury home in the exclusive riverside suburb of Hamilton in Brisbane’s north – a three-storey 730sqm four-bedroom home with sweeping views of the CBD and Brisbane River, currently on the market for circa $9 million. That’s an average of four and a half homes completed per year and Phil humbly comments that they are only just getting started.
The Hamilton Hill property, named TORRE, meaning ‘tower’ in Spanish, has recently been awarded Best Residential Property in Asia Pacific by the International Property Awards which now goes to London at the end of the year, to compete against finalist houses around the world.
With two properties taking out four national awards at these awards including their Mermaid Waters property on the Gold Coast, ARMOREL awarded Best Waterfront Property in Australia, the duo are single-handedly raising the bar on luxury in southeast Queensland’s prestige home market.
ARMOREL also won the categories for Architecture Single Residence, Interior Design Smart Home and Interior Design Residential, making it one of the most awarded luxury homes on the Gold Coast.
The company has a portfolio of luxury homes currently to market or in the pipeline valued at in excess of $80 million, making them one of SEQs most prolific and successful luxury home
builder/developers. With hundreds of construction companies struggling to stay afloat, it’s no small feat to be kicking as many goals as CLR has in its short five years of business.
Awards are not something new to them, having won Best High-End Luxury Residential Developer in three consecutive years for 2022, 2023 and 2024 by Home Build Awards.
Pezzi personally was awarded CEO of the Year by the AFR’s Asset Magazine in 2016.
Phil says Capital Luxury Residences’ founding philosophy is to reimagine the possibilities of residential development. “We really try to push the envelope on every single house and every house has its own unique character, aspect and distinction.”
A global perspective and inspiration
Being regular travellers to all corners of the globe, “every house we design takes inspiration from a different country, language or city we visit,” Alissa says.
“Our Mermaid Waters property for instance draws inspiration from palatial properties I visited in Miami on the south-Florida coast, bringing that really elevated, glamourous, tropical style of luxury to Queensland’s Gold Coast,” she says.
“We also source most of our materials from international locales – bespoke design for every project.
“We spend hours scouring the internet and the globe for the highest quality materials that achieve the vision we’re trying to produce, such as marble slabs that can only be found in quarries from Italy or Turkey. We import the highest quality products from around the world to incorporate into our homes,” she said.
Since their very first project, they have directed every effort towards creating premium, innovative and architecturally striking residential spaces that embrace the art of everyday living.
Wholistic approach to property development
One of CLR’s points of difference in the housing market is its ‘wholistic approach’ business model to property development which includes site acquisition, design, demolition, construction, bespoke interior styling featuring custom-designed furniture and final sale and delivery.
“We choose the site first,” says Phil. “We only buy prime waterfront or view sites – sites which capture extraordinary views, aspects and locations; then we design the house, together with our architect partners, to maximise the views and location.
“Our expert in-house construction team, headed up by our meticulous Construction Director Paul Carson plan the demolition and build program and then custom build the home to spec.
“When completed, Alissa custom-designs the interior styling. We have furniture custom-made to the specifics of the house to sell it as a turn-key property. Then we put the house on the market and because the designs are so unique and like nothing Brisbane or the Gold Coast has seen before, they tend to garner record prices. It’s a very streamlined process,” Phil explains.
Family-oriented interior design
“Our projects are always designed with the families in mind who are eventually going to live in them. The interior design of living areas requires deep consideration. I aim to create a space that draws teenagers out of their room and excites the imagination of the little ones. Equally important is the experience of parents, who need a place to relax after the kids go to bed.
“This requires a balance of peacefulness and social connection. For example, positioning couches to have a view of a window and the kitchen makes it easy to strike up after-school conversation. Comfortable details such as soft textures and conveniently-placed coffee tables help transform a living room into a place of indulgence,” Ms Birch explains.
Highly experienced team with a shared ‘perfectionist’ mindset
Their team brings together some of the industry’s most coveted minds, each offering a unique skillset, background of experience and expansive network of connections.
This diversity not only helps them produce awe-inspiring homes but also ensures they stay up to date with the latest strategies, trends and predictions.
CLR strives to bring a level of luxury and architectural expertise highly sought after in south-east Queensland. They believe in the importance of a personalised and individual service that in turn yield spectacular, unique, dream homes.
The company’s highly skilled and experienced team offer an unwavering commitment to craftsmanship, quality, communication and passion. These attributes are the pillars of what has built their reputation of excellence in the industry. Their client’s wants, needs and goals are at the core of their service delivery.
Backed by an invaluable track record of experience and boasting both office and on-site teams who share the company’s perfectionist values, Capital Luxury Residences’ mission is to continually strive for design and construction excellence, defined by some of the leading and latest trends around the world.
Responsible for the sale of the ARMOREL property at Mermaid Waters, Brad Coyne and Taylor Kleinberg of Kollosche said the residence was the most viewed house for sale in Australia garnering over 1 million views via social media, and 40,000 online views via realestate.com.au and Domain. The sales team walked through over 390 interested parties in just two weeks, they confirmed.
“The property received overwhelming interest mostly from interstate and international purchasers, eventually selling to a Chinese businessman for a record $7.7 million who plans to use it as his family holiday home when on the Gold Coast. The sale was a record for Mermaid Waters,” Mr Coyne added.
RECENT LUXURY HOMES
ARMOREL, MERMAID WATERS, GOLD COAST – Completed December 2023
Sold for a suburb record of $7.7m
‘ARMOREL’ (which means one who lives by the sea) is a palatial Miami-inspired masterpiece featuring six-bedrooms, 7.5-bathrooms and spans 1000sqm of absolute water frontage at Mermaid Waters.
The sprawling site, located at 84 Oceanic Drive, boasts a 30-metre river frontage onto an open canal and features bold architectural design maximising the stunning surrounds and breathtaking views of the Gold Coast city skyline.
Designed for ultimate luxury family living, Armorel features an inspired U-shaped floorplan which allows residents to enjoy panoramic river and Gold Coast skyline views from all angles of the home.
Standout features of the property include a striking, snow-white, sculptural spiral staircase contrasted against Polished Black Micro Cement treads, creating a stunning focal point in the centre of the home, visible from both the rear and front of the property through expansive panes of glass.
Above the staircase, a four-metre-wide skylight adds even more wow factor to this spectacular architectural feature which also ensures the home is flooded with natural light.
Designed to easily accommodate family gatherings and entertaining, the property features extensive outdoor areas, including:
· an alfresco dining area,
· sunken fire-pit with built-in seating,
· poolside lounging area,
· quarter-sized basketball court,
· extensive lawns,
· private beach area, and
· a 12metre pontoon – all purposefully designed to create a luxury resort-like atmosphere.
TORRE, HAMILTON, BRISBANE’- Completed April 2024
On market for circa $8.4 million
‘TORRE’ (meaning ‘Tower’ in Spanish) positioned high on one of Brisbane’s most exclusive streets, Langside Street in Hamilton, spans 730sqm across three storeys and includes five-bedrooms, four-bathrooms.
The home also has space for eight cars and features a gymnasium, smart home automation, Gaggenau appliances, a Subzero fridges and a spacious indoor-outdoor entertaining area including a mixture of veneer and melamine cabinetry throughout with a communal fire-pit and swimming pool.
Located at 36 Langside Street Hamilton, the property features super contemporary architecture with four-metre high ceilings bringing in an abundance of natural light and a sense of grandeur and luxury to the property. A stand-out feature is the breathtaking views the home captures from every level of the Brisbane CBD skyline and meandering Brisbane River.
CAMBER, BULIMBA, BRISBANE – Due for completion June 2024
“To blacken the surface” is the inspired definition underlining the nocturnal facade of Camber, where scorched natural textures and organic hues intertwine to form a family home ready to impress. The contemporary residence spills out onto the Brisbane River, housing five bedrooms, four bathrooms, an office and three ample living spaces in its open-plan interior.
Harking back to the thriving shipping yards that used to occupy the Bulimba waterfront, Camber marries the old and the new to set a new hallmark in Brisbane riverside living. It prioritises space, connection and an utmost respect for the past, all within a trend-setting modern design. Just look onto the incredible split-colour exterior and notice the striking steel and timber textures.
CLARA, BULIMBA, BRISBANE – Due for completion July 2024
“Clear, light and bright” defines Clara in the Spanish dictionary, and just one look at the bespoke magnificence will have you understand it was aptly named. Year-round, this riverside triumph is an everyday catalyst of invigoration and contentment.
Pure and minimal, yet strikingly modern and bold in its mesmerising contours, Clara is a contemporary architectural masterpiece redefining riverside living in the prestigious suburb of Bulimba. It’s an organic smart home drenched in year-round light and embedded deep within an interconnected community marked by greenery, relaxation and sheer convenience.
Optimised for abundant sun and summer breeze with its north-facing aspect, Clara’s five bedrooms, four bathrooms, office and three ample living spaces thrive in a naturally mediating temperature at all times of the year. This calculated design insists it’s a residence forever-ready to entertain and impress. Whether the occasion calls for the indoor or the outdoors, lean on full-sized Gaggenau kitchens and European cabinetry either way.
Stroll into the expansive backyard and feel encompassed by Bulimba’s unparalleled riverside location. Now, as you take an after work dip in the stunning contemporary pool, look back at a patio amphitheatre just waiting for days filled with memories of family and friends.
MALONGA ESTATE, GRACEVILLE, BRISBANE – Due for completion July 2024
Molonga Estate is a master-planned community located at the end of a quiet Graceville cul-de-sac that is characterised by tree-lined pathways and pristine Queenslander properties. Ranging from 812m2 to 2,081m2, each of the five lots sho
with residential zoning. The carefully-considered configuration of the estate ensures every home will be afforded ample natural light and an inspiring vantage of the surrounding area.
Capital Luxury Residences Chairman Phil Pezzi said being recognised across four categories in the International Property Awards is a watershed moment for our company.
“This is a tremendous accolade and a true credit to every member of our hard-working and immensely talented team for which both Armorel and Torre were real passion projects. It’s wonderful for everyone’s efforts to be recognised at an international industry level,” he said.
Both properties now go into the Asian region of the awards program across these four award categories to be announced in Bangkok in May.
The TORRE residence is CLR’s twenty-third property to be completed since establishing in 2019 in Queensland. The company has a further four luxury homes due to be completed in early 2024. For further information visit https://clrgroup.com.au/
